Q: Are the Broncos making a push in the fourth quarter of games because the other side is letting down with a big lead, or does it take the Broncos and the coaches that long to find a rhythm? These losses have not been as close as the final scores would indicate. Seems the Broncos are just getting mop up points when it doesn’t matter.

A: Dan, in talking with people I know with the Patriots, I would say they didn’t consider the work the Broncos did offensively in the second half Sunday, and specifically in the fourth quarter, to be mop-up points.

In fact, until running back Willis McGahee’s fumble at the Patriots 11-yard line with 3:42 left in the game, there was concern among the Patriots personnel that the game was getting away from them despite what had once been a 31-7 lead.

And even with all the trouble they had early in the game, the Broncos were one third-down stop on defense in Atlanta — on a 3rd-and-five — from giving Manning the ball back in a six-point game with roughly two minutes left in the game.

Those aren’t mop-up situations. That’s a team with a quarterback who had 45 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in his 13 seasons behind center for the Colts, including seven in the 2009 season. Manning changes the dynamic because of the way he can throw the ball and work the clock.

The Broncos’ chief problem on offense is turnovers, especially their penchant for putting the ball on the ground. They are 30th in the NFL in fumbles — with seven — and only Kansas City (10) and Philadelphia (eight) have lost more fumbles this season.

Sunday it was not only the quantity of the fumbles, but the quality, as it were. The Broncos fumbled twice inside the Patriots’ 20-yard line. That’s two potential touchdowns lost right there, and at minimum, six sure points.

They also fumbled inside their own 15-yard line — the Patriots recovered at the Broncos 14-yard line. After two penalties, one on each team, New England running back Stevan Ridley scored on an 8-yard run.

Those three turnovers constitute seven additional points for the Patriots and at minimum six lost points for the Broncos and at most 14 lost points, in what became a 10-point game.

Certainly fumbles are forced at times and as one who still appreciates well-played defensive football, even if these pass-happy times, you do occasionally have to credit a defensive player for a job well done.

But overall turnovers can be repaired, especially poor ball security, but coaches have to stress it and players have to retain the work on fundamentals they do in practice in games. Manning, for example threw three interceptions in the first quarter against the Falcons and hasn’t thrown one in the 15 quarters since.

Overall, the Broncos have also dropped too many passes — they had five against the Texans alone and added a couple more to the list in Sunday’s loss to the Patriots. Part of being a playoff contender is making the plays when you have the chance.

Many of the Broncos’ drops have been un-forced errors, plays where the ball wasn’t knocked away, but rather not handled properly.

So, it’s not really a case of rhythm over mistakes. Their wounds are largely self-inflicted and they are also playing teams that take those mistakes and turn them into touchdowns.

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the league who doesn’t believe the Falcons, Texans and Patriots will be plenty high on the list of playoff seedings come January.

Which means the Broncos have three losses to teams — before the Texans played Monday night — that were a combined 12-2.

The Broncos are likely one more offseason, including a high-quality draft class, from the league’s top shelf. But Manning should still be able to power this team into the postseason in a still-wobbly AFC West if they can stop mis-handling the ball.

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